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The other day while I was marking a bunch of papers in one of the corners of MUIC's newly inaugurated working space, I heard a young man's loud voice echoing. Turned out, it was Nut, a former student of mine. He was very excited about the new place and, in return, he was saying out loud his fascination for it. If you don't know him, you'd wonder why he would have to verbalize that loud his excitement.

Nut, however, is special. Born with a congenital eye problem, he can barely see anything, except for a tiny glimpse into anything that is before him. But what makes him extra special is that despite his condition, he behaves as normal as you and I are, without calling for attention just because of his situation.

Nut is a very diligent student whose performance in my class from many terms ago surpassed an average student's. He writes well and studies well. In my class, however, I decided to provide him readings at least a meeting before the actual session to allow him to more time to read. He can only rely on one eye to read and see things. To get around, he has to rely on a walking stick to make sure he doesn't stumble into people and things, let alone be bumped into. In my class, he had to use a gadget that would translate for him a textinto an audio material. Despite all these, Nut way exceeded my expectations.

Oh, did I tell you that he also moves around the campus alone and lives in a nearby dormitory alone?

I further learned that Nut has recently applied to the College's student exchange program. He is looking forward to joining a university in the UK in the coming term. And, yes, he'd be living miles away from his family and friends alone as well.

You would wonder then how someone like Nut can do this. Is he not worried about his safety? Is he not afraid to tread into something entirely unknown to him and in a foreign country at that?

That is what I call grit.

Nut has shown to possess grit despite his condition. He is one person who does not recognize limitations just because of his limited physical capability. In fact, I doubt if he considers his eye problem his limitation. From how I know him and how he treats things, Nut is an epitome of grit and courage.

He lives it. He breathes it.

And if someone like him can afford to soar with flying colors, we should all be ashamed if we ourselves shy away from this life's challenges.